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Oregon Ducks: My hometown team is No. 1 and seeking first national title — while I watch alone from a world away

john_ducks_©marinapascucci_dicembre2024-2

I was born, raised and educated in Eugene, Ore., and been an Oregon Ducks fan since 1963. Now they are ranked No. 1 entering the College Football Playoffs and I am stuck 10,000 kilometers away, cheering alone. That’s OK. Considering my star-crossed history with college football’s late blooming power, I won’t mind watching on my laptop until 4 in the morning. I write what it’s like to be an Oregon Ducks fan in Rome.

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North American islands perfect for a relaxing retreat

Mackinac Island

Summer is almost over. If you’re hot and tired and short of time, your ideal island vacation isn’t far away. Why fly to the Caribbean when you can stay in your own country? Here’s a short list of idyllic islands in the U.S.

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Paso Robles wine: California’s “other” wine center gaining ground on Napa and Sonoma

Paso Robles wine: California’s “other” wine center gaining ground on Napa and Sonoma

During our 11-day trip to the U.S. last month, Marina and I did some wine tastings in Paso Robles, a growing California wine center that is rivaling Sonoma and Napa counties in popularity if not price. Indeed, I suffered some sticker shock but the wines were worth it and so were the settings at Halter Ranch and Justin. For a guide, I had an old sportswriting colleague, John Schumacher, who is retired and now works part time in a tasting room near his native Sacramento.

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Las Vegas beyond gambling: 24 hours of pleasure

Vegas Strip

Las Vegas has grown past its image as a gambling mecca. It’s a big city with a lot of variety. I lived there from 1980-90 and more than 30 years later it has grown into family friendly town. Guest blogger George Wright offers some alternatives playing in the casinos.

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Alaska winter cruises: Escape the crowds and enter frosty serenity

Alaska

Many people take Alaskan cruises in summer but the winter is too cold for most. Still, it’s an ideal time to visit. The light is better. The crowds are thinner. The landscape is whiter. Guest blogger Jamshaid Ali writes about some of the lures Alaska offers in the off season.

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America’s the greatest country in the world? How can anyone say that if they’ve never been anywhere else?

Jan. 6 riot

Is America really the greatest country in the world? It may be for you. But it’s not for me. It’s not for everyone. Then why do so many Americans say it? A reader’s friend accompanied her to Italy recently and complained the minute she hit the ground. She compared everything to the U.S. and provided more evidence that, indeed, America’s the greatest country in the world. I took issue with that and mentioned some very scary statistics that show the U.S. lags behind in a lot of categories.

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What I miss about U.S? Christmas and not much else

Eugene Christmas ornament

Christmas is coming and it always brings back great memories of my Christmases in my hometown of Eugene, Ore. This month it has me thinking. What do I miss about the U.S? I struggled to come up with a list. It’s a short one. Christmas definitely tops it. Here’s a brief look at what I miss about the U.S. as an American expat in Rome.

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Election Day: Save the planet and shut up those bleating Trump supporters

Trump rally

During this pandemic, every little tweak in my health makes me wonder. Is this morning fatigue the first sign of Covid-19? No. People with Covid can barely walk to the bathroom and need a three-hour nap to recover. Is that lightheadedness a Covid fever? Nope. My temperature at the gym never went over 36.6 (97.9).  […]

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My 10 favorite islands in the world: Your dream list for the post-pandemic 2021

Tobago

Let’s face it, folks. It’s time to punt 2020. You’re not going anywhere. Americans have been banned everywhere from Poland to Pluto and even here in Italy our curve has spiked a bit after a flatlining summer brimming with optimism. It’s time to plan for 2021. Well, at least dream. That’s all many of us […]

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